Britain’s The Duke of Kent laid a wreath today (01.05.13) to remember those who fought and died in the 1916 Easter Rising.
The elderly royal visited Glasnevin cemetery in Dublin, Ireland, to pay tribute to the country’s soldiers who died in the wares, as well as honouring local volunteers at the Sigerson Memorial.
Taking on his role as president of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which has helped erect hundreds of headstones and graves in cemeteries over the years, the duke then contributed a laurel wreath alongside a poppy wreath in memory of the men and women who had fallen.
Glasnevin Trust chairman, John Green, believes this mark of respect from the British royal signifies the cementing relations between them.
He said: ”The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, of which he is president, has been a wonderful partner without whom most of the 208 graves of people who fought in the First and Second World War would still be unmarked despite their great sacrifice.
”It has been a wonderful collaboration and we believe one that is playing it’s part in further strengthening the bonds between our two great nations in this modern era.”
The duke then continued to tour the site with historian Shane Mac Thomais and stopped to view more well-known plots. Among these were Daniel O’Connell’s Crypt and the graves of Eamon de Valera, Michael Collins, Roger Casement and Charles Stewart Parnell.